Captured By A Ruthless Vampire King
|52|~ You Are Dead To Me~

Unedited.

CYRUS’S POV.

King Nicklaus Estate

“Someone’s overthinking,” agitates Marcellus, trying his very best to get underneath my skin.

Have you ever met a vampire version of a headache? Marcellus would be mine.

He has been annoying the fuck out of me during the entire ride back to Nicklaus estate, as we were walking through the door into Nicklaus estate and now walking up the staircase inside of Nicklaus estate. There are no limits of annoyance that he can’t reach.

He’s like an itch that I can’t scratch, or more like a pebble in my combat boots that I just can’t get rid of. Mural of the story is that Marcellus is an annoyingly little fuck and he knows it but I’m desperately trying to ignore him. At the moment, I’ve got way bigger fish to fry, Marcellus dire need to drive me crazy is the last thing I’m worried about. However, Marcellus is Marcellus, and he lives for the need to provoke me.

“Clear your mind,” he says. “You’ve got to walk into this with a clear head, no fangs blazing just yet.” Finally, he says something with some sense.

I’m just about to turn around and tell him, good job Marcellus. Welcome to the life of an adult when the fool decides to open his mouth again. “Unless you want to get your ass whipped,” he says loud and clear, earning some sneaky snickers from some of my security detail in the process.

I give them one look. Then, boom! There go silences.

“For what it’s worth, I do understand your point of view. I mean if my best friend tried to kill my beloved I’ll be one pissed off vampire too. I’ll want to rip his bloody heart out of his chest, snatch out his arms out of the socket, and then off with his head. Ha! Ha! Ha!”

“So I get it,” he says while patting my back.

“Don’t touch me,” I snap.

“Hey, don’t get snappy with me Cyrus the virus,”

My eyes narrow in his direction, coming in contact with him holding up both of his hands all in the name of mock surrender. “Hey It’s okay,” he says. “We all have our bad days,” he smirks.

“I get it! I get it! I get it, but you are the bad guy now and you know what happens to bad guys don’t you,” he asks with a sheepish grin. You know what! I’m going back to ignoring him. That’s my best defense.

“Do ya? Do ya? Do ya,” he further provokes. Oh. Dear, blood God! Please, come save me! I mentally pray as we finally reach the top of the staircase. “What you’re gonna do, what you’re gonna do when they come for you, bad vamp, bad vamp,”

“Shut the fuck up, Marcellus,” I finally snap again. Fuck! He’s annoying.

“Okay, brody,” he fakes innocence. Again. It’s a never ending cycle. “All you had to do was ask,” he says, as we reach the door to Nicklaus's private study and one of his men opens the door for the two of us to enter.

Of course, Nicklaus isn’t here yet. He’s never on time and just loves to make a grand entrance. I nod at my man by the name of Adex, mentally giving him the okay to wait outside the door.

We don’t need any outsiders around as we discuss our current situation. This is between me and Nicklaus. I don’t need my men for this bull shit. It’s personal. Besides, the only reason that any of my men are here is that Gutter suggested that I bring them with me, especially Adex. He’s one of Gutter's close friends. They share a brother bond their selves, and Adex has a gift where he can see through the eyes of Gutter if need be.

So, it’s like having a personal nanny cam on my Sunshine. That’s another reason why I agreed.

“No! But seriously, though,” Marcellus annoying as voice draws me back in as I take a seat. He immediately grabs a bottle of Good-ole Jack from the bar and then begins to pull a couple of drinks. “I really do understand your point of view Cyrus but I also understand Nicklaus,”

“So do I,” I reluctantly admit while running my finger throughout my hair. No matter, how much Marcellus irks me he is still one of my brothers and honestly I need to speak to at least one of them about all of this, even if it’s the annoying one.

The pledge of allegiances that all eight of us Kings took centuries ago runs deeper than deep. We have recited a blood oath which has linked our minds, body, and souls in a brotherly bond for the rest of eternity. We will never be able to escape it. A dispute between one of us Kings is nothing.

We always fight among each other and then go to war for one another quicker than one can blink but it’s an entirely different story when our beloved are bought into that equation. There were boundaries put into place just to prevent shit like this from happening.

We pledged our loyalty and our lives to each other, our future beloved, and even our future offspring. Our pledge is forged through our bond and sealed by blood. Thy and thy brother should always accept and honor the pledge, even if Thy and thy brother have a disagreement. I vividly remember taking the pledge all those centuries ago like it was yesterday.

I can still recite the pledge verbatim, especially the pledge about my brothers and I beloved.

Thy shall never harm a sister bought into the oath.

Thy shall protect and cherish a brother lover as if the lover is thy own.

Thy shall give his life to save thy brother's other half-life.

Thy shall never cross a line that shall betray thy brother's lover path.

Nicklaus crossed that line when he's issued a kill order out against my beloved, even though she started the dispute in the first place. When Embry’s wolf issued out a challenge she declared war however Claire was the one to accept the challenge so there for Nicklaus orders were uncalled-for. He was thinking with his heart instead of his head and that’s where the betrayal came in.

He placed Claire before all, basically saying fuck the brotherhood but honesty I can’t blame him because now that I’ve claimed and been claimed by Embry I would do the same thing. That’s exactly why I can’t forgive him. Embry means the world to me just like Claire means the world to him.

The air that she breathes in is the only thing that keeps me alive at this point. She comes before all. My loyalty is with her and any soul on the wrenching earth that attempts to take her away from me shall die. It’s that simple.

So at this point, it’s a big Fuck Nicklaus. My monster craves his blood.

“Thy shall never harm a sister bought into the oath,” recites Marcellus as he places the high ball glass full of Jack down in front of me. “Thy shall protect and cherish a brother lover as if the lover is thy own. Thy shall give life to save thy brothers another half. Thy shall never cross a line that shall betray thy brothers lover path,”

“Nicklaus crossed that line,” I tell him exactly how I feel before knocking my drink back.

“You both did,” he says before taking a seat beside me. “Neither one of you are wrong for wanting to protect your beloveds you know, and neither one of you were right for taking it that far in the first place,”

“I know,” once again I reluctantly admit. “But he started it,”

“No! Embry’s wolf started it,” Marcellus tells me how he feels.

“No! Nicklaus killed Embry’s cousin during the attack at my penthouse. So her wolf demanded justice,”

Marcellus green eyes meet with my golden ones as he takes in that critical piece of information. “Now that makes sense, ” he says after a second of silence. “He didn’t know that Embry’s cousin was even her cousin, right,”

“You’re correct,” I tell him while taking another drink.

“And I take it that he killed Embry’s cousin before he even knew that Embry’s was your beloved to even began with,”

“You’re correct again,” I tell him while placing my glass down.

“So the real reason that your upset is because after you confided in him about Embry being your beloved and he valued to protect her and then he turned right around and issued a kill order against her, am I right?”

“Surprisingly, you are,” I admit. “How did you know that?”

“Because I’m both of your brothers. I know both of you just like the both of you know me and also know each other,” he tells me while pouring another round.

“What are you trying to say, Marcellus,”

“What’s understood doesn’t have to be explained,” he tells me straight up and all I can do is drink. He’s right. Out of all eight Kings, Nicklaus and I are the closets to one another unless you add in Xander. Nicklaus is my best friend. I know him personally. He would do anything to protect the people he loves, especially his beloved and so will I.

That’s the main reason that neither one of us wanted to replace our true beloved.

We didn’t want to replace the one person that could make us say fuck everything we spent centuries on top of centuries to build.

“You’re right again,” I tell Marcellus after I took some time to think over his observation.

“I know I am,” the fool says proudly. “Besides the both of your need to protect your beloved is pointless if you ask me. Those women she-wolf and half-human are more than capable of protecting themselves,”

“Yeah,” I say while pulling another glass of good ole Jack. “They are, but I’ll always feel the need to protect Embry, Marcellus. I’ll give my life for her just to prevent a single scratch from being placed onto Embry skin,” I say while looking out the window. It’s early morning now and the clouds are beginning to shift. A storm is on the horizon.

“Now that’s some deep shit,” he responds while pouring another glass of good ole Jack himself. “So imagine how Nicklaus feels. The older the vampire the more intense the feelings. He’s already going through blood-lust, and he’s a Vlad. His father will never accept a half-human to rule as Queen over our throne,”

“That still doesn’t give him the right to treat my beloved as if she is less significant,” I snap and accidentally crack the glass from my slight outburst. Hold on! My mood quickly shifts. “Did you just say half-human,” I question while turning around to face him.

“Yup,” says Marcellus popping the P, obviously unaffected by my outburst. “At least that’s what I think based upon the skills that she demonstrated during the battle with your cute little wolf,”

“First things first, don’t ever call my beloved a cute little anything. She’s mine and secondly, you know like I know that what you’re speaking of is impossible. The human academies collect blood samples from the slaves in training. They would have notified me the very moment that something unusual appeared in any of the children’s blood. Claire would have been discovered years ago,” I advise.

Marcellus just shakes his head.

“I believe that she was created when Nicklaus bit her,” he says, sounding way past the point of crazy. “It’s just a hunch. We shall replace out this after the soon to be dead doctor finish running his test,”

“Why is a doctor running test,” I question him. Why the fuck would Nicklaus bring a doctor here? His father already issued out a summons. “He knows damn well that outsiders should not be permitted anywhere near Claire. We don’t need any witnesses,”

“That’s why I said soon to be dead,” he whispers as if the doctor death prediction is some kind of secret. “Because if Nicklaus doesn’t kill him I will. Your right we don’t need any more witnesses, though I won’t have to because Xander will most certainly drain him. He’s head over hills about Nicklaus beloved too. He won’t take any chances,”

“Now that’s true,”

It is no secret that Xander has taken a liking to Nicklaus beloved. Shit! It’s hard not to like that crazy ass human or whatever the hell she is, thinking of which. “You still haven’t told me why the hell Nicklaus bought a doctor here for her in the first place,”

When I left Claire was bloody and bruised but it was nothing that Nicklaus blood couldn’t heal. I hope that she’s okay. I meant it when I said that Claire has gained my loyalty, despite my negative emotions towards her beloved. It’s just something about that disobedient little girl.

On top of that, Embry will never forgive herself or her wolf if something bad happened to Claire during their confrontation. She’s already going to have a heart attack when she replaces out what happened overall. That’s exactly why her wolf and I agreed to wipe her memory of the battle in the first place. Neither one of us wants to hurt her more than we already have.

“I don’t know,” says Marcellus with a shrug drawing me back in. “Maybe because he attempted to change Claire but her body rejected the claim and her heart still gently beat,”

What the fuck? “Impossible,” I say in awe, damn near jumping up out of my seat. It’s official! Marcellus has officially lost his mind. There is no way a human rejecting immortality is still alive. It’s unheard-of.

“I swear, brody,” he tells me while nodding his head. “I can’t make this shit up. That girl is fucking lit. I can’t wait to properly meet her,”

“Shut up, Marcellus,” I say, still attempting to process all the information that I just took in. In all the centuries that I lived, I’ve never heard of anything like this. Never!

“I’m just saying it like it is,” he declares. “Now do you still believe that she’s only human,”

Before I could answer, my sensitive ears pick up on commotion from the other end of the door.

“Fuck off Xander,” growls the man that my monster and I have been waiting for. Nicklaus is here.

Embry’s POV.

The cold wind blows like a breeze from a fan throughout my hair as I run throughout the forest bare feet. The ground, the trees and the mountain top are covered with several inches of snow. The gorgeous turbulent dark gray sky appears to be darker by the second.

My wolf is on edge but I’m more than thrilled. I can’t wait to see Celine. I have so many questions.

How did she replace me? Is Jenkins okay? Where is my dad? I’m super excited to catch up with my cousin I can barely think. My hazel eyes are filled with happy tears. I thought that I would never see her again. I’m traveling in half shift state, meaning I’m half wolf but still human. This way, I can still rely on my wolf advanced senses, speed, and strength without drawing too much attention to myself.

I’m trying my hardest not to run into any vampire. More pacifically Cyrus men, I can smell them scouted out through the forest, searching for an invisible threat. As far as I can smell, Celine and I are the only wolves in the forest for at least a ten miles radius, which is strange now that I’m thinking about it.

Why is she traveling alone? Is the pack okay! I haven’t felt any deaths though the Wilde wolf bond so my blood is safe, but there are others that aren’t in the Wilde connection that are equally important, like Aunt Elena, Jenkins, and Luke. I’ll be equally hurt if anything has happened to them.

This is the drive I need to pick up more speed. The wind picks up around me as I zoom through the forest. The gray clouds seem to be running along with me due to the way that they are moving through the sky with every beat of my feet. The storm is drawing closer and I’m getting closer to Celine. I can smell the wonderful and infinite scent of earth, apples, and fresh oak wood potent touch at the end of the forest.

I’m almost there, she’s down the hill, patiently waiting for my arrival. I can feel the presence of her wolf, just like she can feel the presence of mine. It’s another perk that comes with the Wilde wolf bond.

“Stop!′ shouts my wolf. Her voice is husky. Our golden eyes scans the forest. I give her full control. She’s more intertwine with our predatory instincts than I am. In other words, she can sense and anticipated a threat a lot sooner than I can.

I give her a moment to search the area before I decide to question her. “Are you done yet? Celine is less than five minutes away,”

My wolf doesn’t respond for a long while. Two minutes to be exact. Yes, I’m that excited. I’ve been counting every second that has passed. “You’re wrong,” growls my wolf to me before turning around only to come in contact with a pair of bright glowing golden eyes.

Celine.

Cyrus POV.

My chest is ablaze as soon as my monster's eyes lock with Nicklaus bright red eyes. Instantly, my monster began to fight for control, clawing to get out. In my monster eyes, Nicklaus is no longer a friend or a brother. He’s the enemy. My monster doesn’t give a single fuck about our brotherhood or bond and neither does Nicklaus monster from the look of things.

He looks like hell. It’s obvious that whatever happened to Claire during the couple of hours that I’ve been gone has taken a great toll out of him. That’s another reason why Nicklaus monster is out for blood. He’s alert and worried about his beloved. Trust me! I know the feeling.

Xander comes storming in shortly after his brother. He appears to be calm, cool and collected as usual but I’m no fool, looks can be deceiving especially when Xander is placed into the equation. He may be my brother by bond, but he’s Nicklaus brother by blood. At this point, my monster doesn’t trust him either.

“I thought I made myself clear when I said that I expected you back before sundown,” starts off Nicklaus and I can’t help but to look over the both of my shoulders.

Who the fuck does he think he’s talking to? “Don’t test me, Cyrus,” he warns. “I’m not in the fucking mood,”

“Fuck your mood,” I spit while jumping up out of my seat. Within a snap of the fingers, he’s in front of me. “What’s up,” I spit.

His bitch ass knows better than anybody that I’m the last person to back down from a challenge, King or not. Fuck Him!

“This isn’t what you want,” his monster lowly growls with blazing red eyes..

Oh, someone mad and guess what I don’t give a fuck.

“Nicklaus,” warns Xander, appearing right behind him, grabbing onto his bitch ass brother arm in the process. “This is not our way. We took an oath that happened to be your idea by the way. We shall sit down and discuss the issue at hand like civilized people.”

“I don’t know about civilized,” says Marcellus, now standing up out of his seat. “But I did tell you, Cyrus, not to walk into this without a clear head and no fangs blazing just yet,”

My crimson vision snaps in his direction. He better not complete that sentence.

The fool smirks as if he can read my mind and then continues to say, “However Xander is right. How about everyone take a drink, and then we can sit down and pretend to be civil for just a second.”

When neither one of us moves the fool adds in, “Or not, but the two of you most certainly need a conversation, just think back to the day before yesterday when everything was cool. All the people you two have tortured together. Think about how Nicklaus would laugh while digging the both of your enemy's grave and how Cyrus would laugh about compelling the enemy to play dead after Nicklaus would beat the enemy to death. How cute? Those were the days,”

“Shut up Marcellus,” Nicklaus and I snap at the same damn time.

“No! Continue on Marcellus,” Xander comes to the fool defense with a smirk. “That’s exactly what the two of you need to hear,”

“Yeah! That’s exactly what the two of you need to hear,” adds in Marcellus. Fuck! He’s so annoying.

“You know what,” suddenly says Nicklaus, while taking a step back. “I don’t have time for this shit. You put your hands on my beloved. That’s a crime punishable by death. She is your Queen,”

“Embry is my Queen,” fuck he thought.

“Yes! Claire is my sister and I took a value just like you but you’re also the one who declared death against my beloved, which is equally a crime punishable by death,”

“Your beloved attacked me,” he spits through clenched teeth. “She declared war against her self,”

“You know exactly why she declared war,” I spit. My patience is slipping by the second.

“I vow to protect you're beloved you said,” he reminds me with a growl.

“I vow to protect your beloved as well,” I remind him right back, appearing in his face quicker than he can blink. “Embry wolf took over just like how our monsters take over and you know that. There was no need to issue out a kill order,”

“She threatened my beloved,” he spits,

“She threatened you,” I spit back. “Claire placed herself into the equation.”

“Your right,” surprisingly he agrees. “She did and she almost lost her life because of it,” he says as his now cerulean colored eyes turn darker than the deepest debts of the sea. “Your mate could have killed her and that’s just something I would never allow, brothers, mate or not. Whoever places a single finger on my beloved. Shall die, including your mate,”

“Nicklaus,” warns Xander but it’s too late. He’s asking for it! So he’s going to get what he wants.

My monster releases a chilling roar and Nicklaus monster returns the favor.

“You know what, I had it with this shit,” my monster spits. “I agree with you a hundred percent and that’s exactly why I always have followed you. In fact, the House Of Ettore has always stood behind the House Of Vlad. We have always been loyal to the worthy King, but all of that ends today. Your not worthy enough to hold my loyalty, nor are you any King to me,”

That did it! Nicklaus snaps. With a loud, he places his hands onto my chest and slams me into the wall. The room shakes from his force as his claws dig into my shirt, drawing blood.

Very soon, my monster returns the favor by grabbing onto his shirt and then slamming him into the wall on the other side of the room. With fangs blazing, creating the same effect that he created not even a second ago. He may be the King of all Kings but I to am a King in my own right. Plus, we’re in my territory, if I ever have a chance at ending him. This would be my chance.

“Get the fuck off me,” he roars, managing to break loose and begins to issue another attack of his own until his brother raises his voice.

“Nicklaus,” says Xander warningly from right behind us. “Cyrus,” he says next. “The both of you need to get it together and fast. A summons has been issued with all of our names on it. Kill each other if you must but both of your beloveds will be left behind, running for their lives without either of you here to protect them. This is the time that we need each other the most, rather you like it or not,”

I turn my angry gaze on Xander. My vision is red and bloody. “The council doesn’t know shit about my beloved,”

“That may be true,” he says. “For now, but the last time I’ve checked The Lycan Prince is requesting an audience with the council, searching for a Wilde wolf with the most wonderful shade of hazel eyes,”

“Sound familiar,” he dares to say.

Wordlessly, I dart over in front of him. “What the fuck are you trying to say,” growls my monster.

“You know exactly what I’m trying to say,” he speaks with caution. “The council may not know about Embry at this moment but they shall soon replace out and then what? Y’all be in the same predicament. So as I said before we all need each other more than ever at the moment. I suggest the two of you place your differences aside to work together and focus on the bigger picture,”

I don’t respond right away as my monster and I think over his words. He’s right, even though I hate to admit it. That’s the only reason why I’ll continue to deal with them. After that, I’m done for good. Fuck this crown. Fuck Nicklaus and Fuck whoever fucks with him!

“You’re right,” I admit after a second. “I’ll let this shit go for now but after that, I’m done with this shit,”

“What do you mean,” Marcellus is the one to question me as I walk towards the door.

“You heard me! I’m done with this shit,” I growl while turning around to place my eyes onto Nicklaus. “You are dead to me. We’re done,” I say before zooming out of the room.

Within a second, I’m at the front door with my security detail following close behind me. Only to come face to face with the last person I expected to see.

Ravana.

Embry’s POV.

“Celine,”

“Embry,” The both of us call out each other name at the same time, before we throw our arms around another, wrapping our selves in a tight hug.

“Celine! Oh my Goddess, Celine! I’ve missed you. Oh, my... I miss... you... Oh, my Goddess. How..? Oh, my Goddess! Oh, my Goddess! Is this real?”

“I knew that you would be able to escape! I knew it,” she says to me but I’m too busy basking in the glory of our reunion to fully process her words.

Her sweet and wonderful scent invades my senses as I take a deep whiff into her auburn and dark brown ombre waves, which has grown a great deal since the last time that I’ve seen her.

A bright smile paints onto my lips as I take in her scent. I can smell her favorite apple cinnamon shampoo that she just has to use blowing with the wind. This is real. She’s here.

My cousin's body goes dangerously steal and she finally pulls back from me. “You smell different,” she identifies as she looks me over.

In less than a second, she catches onto why, “Oh, my Goddess, Embry! You found your mate. Hold on you’ve been held prisoner here for over a month now is he a prisoner too. Where is he?”

Oh, my Goddess! Cyrus. Umm.. I don’t know the best way to tell her this. She’s not going to like it.

“No,” says my wolf. “She’s not but it’s best for you to tell her human before her wolf catches on if you want to avoid conflict,”

“Avoid conflict? Why would there be any conflict? Celine is our favorite cousin. You know that. She would never go against us! Never! Is that why you're so on edge. Come on, it’s Celine.”

“We’ve been gone for a full moon Embry. A lot can happen people change quicker than the seasons,” my wolf advises.

“It’s Celine,”

“Tell her then,” she says and before I could continue on Celine's voice draws me back in.

“Come on! What are you waiting for? Let’s go get him right now! Some of our warriors from The Northern Pack aren’t too far from here,” she says while tugging on my arm, and then suddenly her eyes shift Golden. I know that look her wolf is present.

The wind picks up around us and Celine's nostrils flare widely as she takes a deep sniff of the air.

“He’s a vampire,” growls her wolf. “You’ve been claimed by a vampire,”

Happy New Year love bugs. I hope you enjoyed the chapter and I know that your all going to kill me because of the cliff hanger but you all know that I just can’t help myself. I love the thrill.

Be safe to all my readers who are out having a good time and to my readers that are currently at home like me, reading! I suggest you go pour yourself a glass of wine if you're old enough to drink and dive into your favorite book. I know I am. I’m actually about to go read TKOAVK again. && then I’m reading CBARVK. I love my craft lol.

Ps. I love you all.

Happy new years again.